Train pipe coupling



March 21, i933. J. C. McCUNE TRAIN PIPE COUPLING Filed March 25, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet l ATTO NEY March 21, 1933. J. c. MccuNE TRAIN PIPE COUPLINGFiled Mdmh`l 25, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR Jgfsx-:PH C. McCUNE ATTONEY Patented Mar. 21, 1933 n rss JOSEPH C. MCNE, 0F EEGEWGB,EENNSYLVANM, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE j BRAKE COMEX-Hill?, OF"WLLEERDNG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATON 0F ENNSYLVANIA TRN PIPE COUPLINGApplicatien )filed March 25, 1929. Serial No. 349,540.

This invention relates to train pipe couplings, such as are used withcar couplers for coupling the il lid conduits between railway cars.

An object of the invention is to provide a train pipe coupling which islapted to be manually coupled to a counterpart coupling, and which willautomatically uncouple when the car couplers are uncoupled, the couplingoperation being eiiected by operating means located at the side of thecar so that a trainman is not compelled to enter between two cars beingcoupled together in order to connect the train pipe sections,

Another object oi the invention is to pr vide improved means forconnecting train pipe couplings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a train pipe coupling oi'the character mentioned which is simple in construction, and reliableand exact in function under all conditions oi service.

rlhe invention also comprises certain new and useful improvements in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the several parts or" whichit is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully descr'bed and claimed.

In the accompanying rawings; Figui is a side elevation of a train pipecoupling constructed according to the invention, sh wing the samecoupled to a counterpart coupling; 2 is a side view of the coupling inuncoupled position; and Fig. 3 is a iront view.

Reterrng to the drawings, the train pipe coupling may comprise a body orhead 11 which is provided with a plurality of openings 12, each forreceiving a train pipe conduit, in the present instance three conduitsbeing shown, as indicated at 13, 14 and 15.

t the iront face ot the coupling head, each conduit is provided with agasket 16 adapted to abut the corresponding gasket on a coun terpartcoupling head, while at the rear end, each conduit is attached to theend of a flexible hose, as indicated at 17, 18 and 19.

he coupling head 11 is suspended from the car coupler 21 by means of asingle coil spring 20, and in order to limit to some eX- tent thelateral swinging of the coupling head 11 relative tothe car coupler 21,the latterl is provided with depending plates 22 and 23, which arearranged on opposite sides of the coupling head in the manner shown in Fig. 3. rEhe extremity of the plate 22 is formed with an outwardlyprojecting nose 2e, while the extremity of the plate 23 is provided witha similarly formed nose 25. 'ihe purpose of the noses 24 and 25 will behereinafter more fully described.

On one side, the coupling head 11 is formed with a centering member 2G,which projects beyond the front ace of the coupling head in the mannershown in Fig. 2, while on the opposite side, the front `face ot' thecoupling head is formed with a recess 27. The disposition of the member26 and recess 27 is such that when counterpart couplings are broughttogether for coupling up, the centering member 26 of one coupling entersthe recess 27 or the adjoining coupling head, and thus the abuttingtrain pipe conduit gaskets 16 are properly registered.

For the purpose. of locking the coupling head 11 to a counterpartcoupling head, a suitable latch is provided. As shown, the latch maycomprise a substantially Y-shaped member which is pivotally mounted onthe side of the coupling head by means of a pin 28. rl`he latch has aforwardly projecting arm 29, terminating in a suitable hookshaped nose30. Projecting rearwardly is an arm 31, which is bent upwardly at theend, so as to project above the nose 24 heretofore` referred to. Thethird arm 32 of the latch extends downwardly and is connected to one endof a coil spring 33, the opposite end of the spring being connected to abracket 34 on the side of the coupling head 11. Above the latch, theside of the coupling head 11 is formed with a iiXed arm 35 for limitingthe swinging of the latch, as will be herein after more fully described.As shown in Fig. 3, there is also a liXed arm 36 on the ther side of thecoupling head, and beneath this arm, the side of the coupling head isformed with an outwardly projectingv lug 37, adapted to receive. thenose 30 of a counterpart coupling latch member, in the manner shown byFig. l.

lVhen the cars are uncoupled the coupling head 11 will be suspendedbeneath the car coupler 21 with the front face of the train pipecoupling head slightly to the rear of the center line of the car couplerknuckle, as shown in Fig. 2. In this position the spring 20 will besubstantially vertically disposed, and the fixed arm 35 of the couplinghead 11 will contact with the nose 24 of the bracket 22.

The coupling heads 11 of adjacent cars will remain in this rearwardposition after the cars have been brought together for cou pling up. Bythe present invention, means are provided for positively moving thecoupling head of one car into position with the counterpart train pipecoupling of an adjacent car so that the latch members of the twocoupling heads can engage the lugs 37 and connect the train pipecouplings together.

For this purpose, a link 3S has one end pivotally connected to thecoupling head 11 by means of a pin 39, the other end of said link beingslotted, as at 40, for receiving a pin 41 carried on the ends of links42 and 43. The opposite end of the link 42 is connected by a pin 44 toa. link 45 fixed to an operating lever 46, journalled in a bracket 47carried by the car, while the opposite end of the link 43 is connectedto the bracket 47 by means of a pin 48.

In operation, when the cars are being coupled up, the car couplers 21are interlocked in the usual manner from the impact of the two carscoming together. The train pipe coupling heads ll will be separated, andin order to couple the adjoining train pipe sections, the lever 46 ofone train pipe coupling is moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2.This action will buckle Jthe links 42 and 45 on the hinge provided bythe pin 44, and the lower end of the link 42 will be forced to the left.

When the cars are uncoupled the pin 41 will be disposed near the upperend of the slot 40 in the link 38. Therefore, the movement to the leftof the link 42 will be transmitted through the pin 41 to force the link38 also to the left.

In this way the coupling head 11 will be movel towards the counterparttrain pipe coupling on the end of the adjacent car, the spring 20permitting this transitory movement of the coupling head 11longitudinally of the car.

When the front face of the coupling head l1 is moved toward thecorresponding face of the counterpart coupling head, the centeringmember 26 of each coupling head enters the recess 27 of the othercoupling head, thereby registering the adjacent train pipe conduitgaskets 16.

The movement of the lever 46 is continued until the abutting train pipegaskets 16 are compressed sufhciently to permit the nose 30 of each ofthe latch members to engage the lug 37 of the other coupling head in themanner shown in Fig. 1 to lock the coupling heads 11 together.

t will be noted that when the coupling head 11 is moved into engagementwith the coupling head of a counterpart coupling, that the latter headwill be prevented from moving rearwardly because the fixed arms 35 and36 thereof will be in engagement with the noses 24 and 25 of thebrackets 22 and 23 respectively.

Referring to Fig. l, when the train pipe coupling heads 11 are connectedtogether in the manner just described, the spring 20 of the couplinghead which has been moved into engagement with the counterpart couplinghead, will be extended. Therefore when the lever 46 is released at thecompletion of the coupling operation, the extended spring 2() willretract, and in so doing, both coupling heads will be moved to aposition in which the abutting coupling head faces will be disposed in avertical plane correspcnding substantially to the center line of the earcoupler knuckles. In this position both springs 2O will be undertension, and such springs will be disposed at an angle, the lower endsof the springs being closer together than the upper ends thereof.Therefore, when the coupling heads 11 are unlatched, the tension of thesprings 20 will be relieved, and the springs will, in retracting, drawthe coupling heads rearwardly away from each other, to a position inwhich the front faces of tne train pipe coupling heads will be disposedin a plane to the rear of the center line of the car coupler knuckle, asshown in Fig. 3.

From the foregoing it will be noticed that the lever 46 and links 38,42, 43, and 45 which are connected thereto in the manner shown anddescribed, provide means for positively connecting the adjoining ends ofa plurality of train pipe sections. The handles on each end of thelevers 46 may be disposed at the side of the car so that a trainman orother operator can operate the apparatus without entering between thecars.

lVhile the train pipe coupling heads 11 are adapted to be manuallyconnected together, such coupling heads are adapted to be automaticallyuncoupled.

lVhen the car couplers 21 are uncoupled in the usual manner to separateone section of train from another, the train pipe cou` plings willremain coupled together until the car couplers have receded from eachother a distance suliicient to bring the noses 24 and 25 Iintoengagement with the upwardly extending arms 31 of the train pipecoupling latch members. Continued'movement of the car couplers relativeto the coupled train pipe coupling heads Will cause the. noses to tripthe latch arms 3l, thereby disconnecting the noses of the latches fromthe lugs 37. The movement of the car couplers 2l relative to the coupledtrain pine coupling heads, will extend the springs 20, and When thelatches are disconnected, the springs Will contract, thereby returningeach train pipe coupling head to the uncoupled position shown in Fig. 3.

vWhile the present invention 'has been shown and described, forillustrative purposes only, Iin connection with couplings provided witha plurality of train pipe conduits, it is to be understood that theinvention can be also used with various vother types of connectingmembers, such for instance as the Well known coupling members carr ino'electrical conductors. and the coupling members having combined fluidand electrical conductors.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described indetail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to that embodiment orotherwise than by the terms oi the appended claims.

` Having now described my invention, what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

l. The combination with a car coupler, of a Vtrain pipe coupling movablymounted relatively to the car coupler and spaced from a counterpartcoupling when the car coupler is coupled to a counterpart car coupler,and manually operated means for positively moving the train pipecoupling to coupleA the same With a. counterpart coupling after the carcouplers are coupled.

2. The combination With a car coupler, a bracket depending from the carcoupler, a

train pipe coupling, means for locking the Y train pipe coupling with acounterpart coupling, and mea-ns carried by said bracket for unlockingthe train pipe coupling When the car coupler moves relatively to thetrain pipe coupling.

3. The combination with a car coupler, oi' a train pipe coupling movablerelatively to the car coupler and spaced from a counterpart couplingwhen the car coupler is coupled to a counterpart coupler, manuallyoperated means for connecting the train pipe coupling to acounterpartcoupling subsequent to the coupling of two car couplers together, andmeans for automatically unlocking the train pipe couplings.

4l. The combination with a car coupler, of a train pipe coupling movablerelatively to the car coupler, manually operated means for connectingthe train pipe coupling to a counterpart coupling subsequent to thecoupling of two car couplers together, and means for automaticallyunlocking the train coupling, and means movable relatively to thecoupling for disconnecting the coupling fromA the counterpart coupling.

6. A train pipe coupling comprising a body provided with a train pipeconduit,

means for flexibly supporting the body,-

means for positively moving the body longitudinally of the car, meansfor limiting the movement of the body in the opposite direction, meansfor centering the body with the body of a counterpart coupling, a latchfor connecting the body to the body of a counterpart coupling,'and meanscarried by the latch for engaging said limiting means to disconnect thebody from the body of a counterpart coupling. u

7. The combination with a car coupler, of a train pipe coupling carriedby the car coupler and so positioned relatively to the car coupler thatthe train pipe coupling will be spaced from a counterpart coupling withthe car coupler coupled to a counterpart car coupler, and manuallyoperated means for shifting the train pipe coupling into engagement withthe counterpart coupling. i

8. rlhe combination with a car coupler, of a train pipe couplingprovided With means for locking said coupling to a counterpart couplingand positioned relatively to the car coupler so that the train pipecoupling Will not engage the counterpart coupling When the car coupleris coupled to the counterpart coupler, and manually operated means forshifting the train pipe coupling into engagement With the counterpartcoupling.

9. The combination with a car coupler, of a train pipe coupling carriedby said car coupling and movable longitudinally, the coupling face ofthe train pipe coupling being disposed at the rear of the coupling planeof the car coupler, and manually op.- erated means for moving said trainpipe coupling into engagement with a counterpart coupling after the carcoupler has been coupled to a counterpart coupler.

l0. The combination Withy a car coupler, of a train pipe couplingmounted for longitudinal movement on said carl coupler and provided Withmeans :tor locking said coupling intoy engagement With a counterpartcoupling, a member carried by said car coupler, and an element carriedby said train pipe coupling and adapted to engage said member with thecoupling in its uncoupled y of a train pipe coupling mounted forlongitudinal movement on said car coupler and provided with means forlocking said coupling into engagement with a counterpart coupling, amember carried by said car coupler, and means for operating said lockingmeans and adapted to be automatically operated by engagement with saidmember upon a movement of said car coupler relative to the train pipecoupling.

12. The combination with a car coupler, of a train pipe coupling mountedfor longitudinal movement on said car coupler and provided with meansfor locking said coupling into engagement with a counterpart coupling, amember carried by said car coupler, an element carried by said trainpipe coupling and adapted to engage said member to limit longitudinalmovement of said train pipe coupling relative to said car coupler iu onedirection, and means operated by said member for automatically releasingsaid locking means upon relative longitudinal movement of said trainpipe coupling in thel opposite direction.

13. The combination with a car coupler,

of a train pipe coupling mounted for longitudinal movement relative tothe car coupler, the coupling face of the train pipe coupling beingdisposed in a plane to the rear of the coupling plane of the car couplerwhen the cars are coupled and the train pipe couplings are uncoupled,means for moving the train pipe coupling across the plane of the coupledcar couplers and into coupling position with a counterpart train pipecoupling, and means for locking the train pipe coupling to thecounterpart coupling when the faces of said couplings are broughttogether.

body to the body of a counterpart coupling, and'means carried by thelatch for engaging said limiting means to disconnect the body from thebody of a counterpart coupling. c

16. The combination with a car coupler, of a train pipe coupling carriedby the car coupler and so positioned relatively to the car coupler thatthe train pipe coupling Will be s aced from a counterpart conductor couping when the car coupler is coupled to a counterpart car coupler, andmanually operated means for moving` the train pipe coupling intoengagement with the counterpart coupling.

17. The combination With a car coupler, of a conductor coupling mountedfor longitudinal movement relative to the car coupler, the coupling faceof said conductor coupling being disposed in a plane to the A rear ofthe coupling plane of the car coupler when the cars are coupled and theconductor couplings are uncoupled, manually operated means, for movingthe conductor coupling across the planeof the coupled car couplers andinto coupling position With a counterpart coupling, and means forlocking the conductor coupling to the counterpart coupling when thefaces of said couplings are brought together.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand, this 21st day of March.1929.

JOSEPH C. MCCUNE.

14. The combination with a car coupler,

of a train pipe coupling mounted for-longitudinal movement relativetothe car coupler, the coupling face of the train pipe coupling beingdisposed in a plane to the rear of the coupling plane of the car couplerwhen the cars are coupled and the train pipe couplings areuncoupled,means for limiting the movement of the trainr pipe coupling in onedirection, means for moving the train pipe coupling in the otherdirection across the plane of the coupled car couplers and into couplingposition with a counterpart train pipe coupling, and means for lockingthe train pipe coupling to the counterpart coupling.

15. A coupling comprising a body, means for flexibly supporting thebody, means for moving the body longitudinallyy of the car, means forlimiting the movement of the body in the opposite direction, means for gcentering the body with the body of ay counterpart coupling, a latch forconnect-ing the

